ruins this. He's out of his league with the other great cast. He's meant to be the central character, but seeing him next to Hamm (like when they are face-to-face in the questioning room) makes him fade into the shadows. You end up not caring about his character.
This film could have been great with some story tweaks and no Affleck.
You've made some great, good points about Ben Affleck in "The Town" that are well taken, Boodinum. One big problem with Affleck in this film is that he bit off way more than he was able to chew by taking on both the jobs of director of The Town and the central character, due to a fall-out with the original director (whose name escapes me at the moment.). As a result, The Town was pulled down by its own weight due to Ben Affleck's taking on a double job. Ben Affleck's really better behind the camera, as his directing of Gone Baby Gone indicates.
I also think that the Doug-Claire romance takes up much too much of the story, in both the movie and the book.
What? This was around the time Affleck was great in every movie.
shareTo each their own, mullin216, but I feel that The Town fell way short of its potential for being a really good, or even a great movie that was right up there with West Side Story, partly because Ben Affleck was rather clunky in this, and partly because the Doug-Claire romance scenes were rather sickly and immature.
I also think that Rebecca Hall was miscast in this. Had someone not so princess-like in her looks and behavior not been chosen for the role of Claire, and the romance scenes more mature and not so sickening, and had Ben Affleck stayed totally behind the camera and chosen another actor for the main character, things might've been way different.
The was a good film, and Affleck was pretty good in it--whatever you think about him, the man can usually can his behind off when he's able to sink his teeth into a good role (his best film actingwise, I think, is the drama CHANGING LANES) he didn't take anything away from the film at all. I also liked Rebecca Hall as Claire--I found both their characters realistic in their getting to know one another---I found those scenes very thoughtful and observant.
shareTo each their own, but I found the Doug-Claire romances rather sickening...and rather underdeveloped, to boot. Secondly, I think Rebecca Hall was miscast as Claire but that's my take on it, also.
Ben Affleck is better behind the camera than in front of it, or as a sidekick for somebody. I liked Ben Affleck a great deal in Good Will Hunting, where he played Matt Damon's sidekick.
Really? I thought he did great in this. The guy acted and directed his ass off in this.
shareFrankly, I think that Ben Affleck is better behind the camera than in front of it. Also, he's better off as Supporting or sidekicks to movies.
shareInclined to agree. If he did indeed direct ( which I wasn't aware of ) as well as act, he had more than a full plate and did an effective job.
shareI agree with everything you've said, Soodinum. Frankly, I think that Doug's crazy, psychotic right-hand man and friend, "Jem", was the only really believable character in this whole film.
shareCouldn’t disagree more, He’s been dire in many films but this is probably the best performance of his career, can’t think who else would have done a better job 🤷🏻♂️
shareAffleck co-wrote, acted and directed this great heist movie...I give that guy from Boston major props
shareI felt that Affleck held his own effortlessly next to Hamm as well as Renner. I was not a fan of the Director’s Cut by any means but the theatrical version was superbly made.
Affleck did a bang up job directing/acting.
Frankly, I think that the theatrical version of The Town had a lot of holes in it, if one gets the drift. The Extended Version of The Town was much more developed in every way, and filled in the holes that the theatrical version of this film left.
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